Gum-massaging implement



Feb. 2l, 1928. 1,660,096

s. scHlr-:LE

GUM MASSAGING IMILEMENT Filed Sept. 15. 1926 Patented Feb. 2l, 1928.

1,660,0gti

sEYMoUascHIELE, or saQLoUIs, MISSOURI.

eoM-Miissxerire IMPLEMENm Application led September 13, 1926. lSerialr110.135,012.

My invention relates to. improvements in gum'massaging implements, andhas yfor its primary object an implement whereby the gums may bemassaged so as to harden the same and restore the proper circulation ofblood therein and restore them to a healthy condition. .y Y

Another object is to construct a gum massaging implement by means ofwhich medica-` ment can be applied to the gums duringthe massagingthereby making my implement extremely valuable in t-he treatment ofpyorrhea as a medicament can be applied simultaneously with themassaging of the gums. A still further object is to construct a gummassaging implement which has a resilient massaging head, the head alsobeing sufficiently flexible to bend `so as to conformto the shape of thegums, both on their inside and outside, and still not be stiff enoughtol injure the lining of the mouth when the end of the head comesincontact therewith.

A still further object is to construct a gum massaging implement inwhich the massagl ing head is tapered so that it can reach far backalong the gums between the gums land the cheek thereby permitting allpart of'the gums tobe reached duringjthe massaging.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my device;

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same; 0

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the massaging head removedfrom the handle l Fig. 4 is an end view of the massaging head; and

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

In carrying out my device I provide a handle 6 which is hollow and whichis closed at one end as indicated by the numeral 7. The opposite end ofthe handle is reduced so as to form a neck portion 8. This neck isprovided on its outer end with an external bead or iange 9. By providinga reduced neck portion a flange err abutment 10 is formed be-` tween theneck and the handle proper. Secured over the neck and retained inposition by means of the bead is a massaging head which has a taperedportion 11 and astraight portion 12. The straight portion 1211s providedwith abead or stiening ring 13 and with a bore The bore 14'is providedwith an inwardly;inclined-groove l5. This groove lextends' onlykpartially aro-und the bore` as -in. .dicated by dotted lines in Fig. 4,the purpose of this will be explained in detail later.

The tapered portion 11 is provided with a front or massaging face 16 andwith .a back 60 17. y, The tapered `portion is also provided with a bore18.whi,ch extends partially there.- through and which communicates withthe borevlt.v The massaging face, 16 is provided with a plurality ofcorrugations 19 or other 65 irregularities through which perforations 20Y are formed. The corrugations 19 in conjunction with the bore 18 formpocketsv 21 in which medicament `from the hollow handle is designed tolodge. The massaging head is preferably made so that that portion of theback nearest the handle is stiffer than-the Vportion adjacent the vendor point 22. This is to prevent they head from iexing too close to thehandle withthe possiblerresult of leaknge, and it. alsoA kprovides forlbet-ter fric'- tional contact withthe length of the'head. y y

It will benoted thatthe massaging face ofthe` head is relatively thinvso that when .80 pressure is applied during themassaging it will be atendency for the corrugations to close the passage 18 or at leastpartially close the same and to restrict the flow of medicament throughthe openings 20.

The manner of assembling my device is as follows The handle 6 which isformed of glass, bakelite, hard rubber or similar material,.is firstfilled with a medicament. The massaginghead is then placed in positionby o0 introducing the bead or flange 9 into the beginning of theinclined recess or groove 15, and by turningthe head the samewillradually screw itself on over'the bead, it eing understood, of course,that as the beady passes into the groove and passes from the groove atits innermost position, it will force the rubber or' resilient material,out of which the head is made, outward and thus form a thread foritself. This thread, however, as 10o soon as the bead has passed willagain contact and fit tightly around the neck of the handle asillustrated in Fig. 2 thereby effectually preventing any leaka e ofmedicament between the handle an the rear end gums throughout the of themassaging head.

Y that the massaging The massaging Vhead is preferably made of rubber asit is resilient, exihle, and 05ers a good friction surface without anydanger of scratching or injuring the gums although I do not desire tolimit myself to rubber as there may be other materials which will ac.-complish the same result. y y

After the implement has been thus assembled, it is handled in the samemanner as an ordinary tooth brush except Ythat instead of operating onthe teeth, the gumsare .mas-Y saged both on the outside and the inside.

My device is not intended forcleaning the teeth but is designed, purelyand simply, for

gum massaging and therefore is not tobe confused with various toothbrushes onrthe market. While I have shown the handle in my device ashaving" an offset'portion, I do not desire to-limit myself to thisprecise con` struction as the handle fcan be made perfectly straightwit-hout in any way effecting the utility of my device. l

An important feature of my device is head while being both flexible andresilient is still sufliciently rigid so as to preifent'its doublingyover upon itself because iffthis would happen,

is notJ violent enough to cause any soreness Vvor irritation of thegums.

to stimulate the flow of blood Having fully described my invention, whatI claim is: V

l. A gum massagingimplement compris-k ing a hollow handle closed at oneend, .a reduced neck formed on the opposite end of said handle, and ahollow tapered massaging head closed at one end and gradually decreasingin flexibility toward the end opposite theclosed end mounted on saidneck, the

massaging surface of said head being of uniform. :thickness throughoutand the remainder of said head gradually decreasing in thickness towardthe closed end.V

2. A gum massaging implement comprisy ing duced: neck formed on theopposite end of a hollow handle closed at one end', a .re-r

said handle, a bead surrounding the outer end lof lsaid neck, andatapered massaging head having a relatively thin corrugated andperforate massaging face 'ofuniforin thickness throughout and arelatively thick.

tapering portion opposite said massaging face mounted on said neck.

3. A gumv massaging implement comprishandle closed.. at one end,the. ofsaidhandle being offset, a

ing a hollow opposite end reduced neck provided with an .outwardlykextending bead formed on lthe offset portion of the handle, and aflexible resilient hollow tapering massaging heady removably secured onsaid neck, the massa-ging surface of said head being smooth formresiliency throughout and the remain- 4der of said head increasing inthickness from its outer end to the neck .of said handle.`

yIn testimony whereof I have affixed my signature;

SEYMOURy scniniiii.v

and wavy and of uni-

